Alfie can't watch Thrones with mum

Alfie Allen has admitted he can't watch his hit TV show Game Of Thrones with his mum - because of its sexy scenes.

The actor is back as Theon in the second series of the Sky Atlantic fantasy drama, which charts the epic battle between the Lannisters and the Starks.

Alfie admitted that at first he was surprised by the popularity of the show, which was eagerly anticipated because of the cult status of the books it is based on.

"I had no idea whatsoever," he said. "It was only when I realised what a big following the books had that I started to grasp how huge the series is."

What seems to have sparked most of the interest is not the fantasy elements of the series, but rather the saucy scenes and - primarily - the eye-watering violence.

"It messes around with your moral compass because you watch it and you go, 'Woah, I don't know if I can watch this!' Or if you should go, 'Yeah! Come on!' It's pretty full-on," Alfie said.

The nature of the show has meant he's only watched it with his mum once.

"I was watching it on the sofa with my mum and this really graphic lesbian sex scene came on and I was going, 'Oh God...'," he explained.

Alfie himself really likes the universal nature of the show: "People hear it's fantasy and think it's going to be about wands and dungeons and dragons, but it's way deeper than that. It's more about the politics of the land and personal politics too."